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Asia » Singapore
October 17th 2006

Published: December 5th 2006

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bacon sandwich

Ring tailed Lemur

In the Fragile Forest Biodome

After finally getting to see Nacho Libre on the plane, we descended into a world of smog and smoke born from collosal forest fires in Sumatra. Apparently quite common at this time of year but during the worst period in known history we stepped into the Ultra Modern airport and boarded an MRT (Mass Rapid Transportation) train to Kovan station. Our pre-booked boutique hostel 1 Florence Close was a small and almost futuristic hostel but after grabbing the tube into Clarke Quay it felt decidedly far out from the city center. To our amazement at Clarke Quay we found an incredible promenade where huge glass umbrellas covered a beautiful crossroads of restaurants and colonial buildings. Everywhere was so amazingly clean and futuristic and there seemed to be amazing pieces of design everywhere we turned. Dining at an overpriced Thai restaurant on the river, we struggled to grasp just how different life would be in Asia from now on. Were it not for the English signposting we would have been quite at sea.

Having been wowed by the cutting edge MRT system we smoothly travelled to Tanjong Pagar in the morning and to the exceptionally un-futuristic Singapore Railway Station where a

Clarke Quay

This amazing and ultra clean shopping block was a stunning sight under the changing colours of the glass roof.

man in tight leather pants stood lunging whilst combing his beard in the sweaty mirror outside the vintage toilets. Trying to book our overnight train tickets north into Thailand we found the next few days to be completely booked up so had no option but to extend our stay in Singapore. Stepping back onto the MRT to Little India, we stepped out into... well a Little India. A world away from anything we've seen so far but brimming with energy and colour.

Sensing that we were being ripped off at Florence Close we checked into the very reasonable and buzzing Inn Crowd hostel for the following 4 nights and set about wandering the streets of Little India. With it being Deepavali festival at the time of our visit, the streets were a dazzling array of banners bunting and lights and in Market square, a packed market sold decorations, fireworks and floral arrangements for the festival. After walking by the incredibly ornate Sri Veeramkakamman temple adorned with cattle, elephants and Hindu Gods we walked through the Tekka Food mall to catch the MRT to China town. In China town nearly every other store sold chinese herbal medicines, some orthadox and

Drying washing

When you live in a tower block there's only one way to do it.

some outright bizarre like deer penis and the obligatory shark fins for soup. Strolling through Ann Siang Hill Park we emerged in Ammoy Street known as 5 feet ways for the overhanging buildings which created a photogenic and peaceful archway on either side of the road. It was under this archway where a man yielding a large camera stopped us for a chat before bizarrely inviting us into his office for a bottle of water and a look through some of his photographs. Nice as Victor Lim, owner of a mobile gaming firm was, we became a little suspicious when most of the photographs were of women in sportswear and so left with thanks for his hospitality.

Around the block in Ayer Street, we visited the Thian Hock Keng Temple (the oldest in Singapore) where locals flocked to light insense and pray before working our way around the tailors and hawker stalls in Temple and South Streets. Although the thick smoke in the air blocked out the sun completely the temperature on the streets was stifling so we headed back to cool down before travelling to Raffles Place and the Lau Pa Sat Market in the evening. The Market

Holy Cow

Adornement of a China town temple

set within an Octagonal Iron building was filled with ludicrously cheap food stalls selling everything from standard Sweet and sour chicken to Pigs brain and stomach dishes. Curiously in the central area about 20 or so people were line dancing to Billy Ray Sirus or something and we couldn't help but laugh when a 5 minute deafening bell ringing obscured the music and sent their limbs flayling trying to stay in time.

Checking out of Florence Close and into the Inn Crowd the next morning, we spent the day milling around in the heat, eating lunch, catching up on the blog and being offered Tiger Claws on the streets of little India. Stepping into a pharmacy we noticed a curious thing; whereas in England and I imagine most of the West, shelves are lined with self tan products to darken the skin, here in Asia every skin product is proudly labeled as Whitening. No matter where in the world you are from it seems, you are never happy with your lot! That evening we plomped ourselves in the Banana Leaf restaurant for a splendid Tikka Massala served on a banana leaf before sinking a tiger beer and returning to

Sea Horse anyone?

our dorm room. Sleep however was unfortunately put on hold by an outrageously drunk Italian lad who belched his way through far too many beers on the roof top terrace next to our beds and then was literally carried downstairs by some unwilling volunteers.

Stepping over his sick stained shorts in the morning we travelled by MRT and minibus to the World renowned Singapore Zoo. Set deep in genuine rain forest, Singapore Zoo is according to many unlike any other in the world with its open enclosures lending an unbeatable close up view of the animals and a sense that just maybe the animals were not mistreated. Of the many animals which inhabit the enormous zoo, Urang Otan, Sun bear, Lions, snakes, Komodo dragons, the highlights were the adorably loping Giant Tortoise , the Jaguar who appeared scared of the goldfish, the graceful swimming Polar Bear and the Zebras who's stripes seen up close provoked amazement at how nature can produce such bold patterns. By far the greatest section and probably finest experience of captive animals we'll ever have however, was the Fragile Forest, a huge Biodome which on entering through a series of chain curtains plopped us in

5 Feet ways

The archways created by overhanging buildings in Amoy Street

the middle of the most incredible environment. Every foot of air was occupied by giant Butterflies which floated around us and on several occasions landed on our heads, backsides and arms. Also inside the authentic rain forest were Crowned Pigeons, startling birds with a huge plume of head feathers and Ring tailed Lemurs which ran around our feet, swung from nearby trees and generally acted as if we weren't even there. To our surprise another inclusion in the Fragile Forest was a Matches Tree Kangaroo which although lacking in energy was a pleasure to witness in the furry flesh.

Thrilled by the experience we moved on to the Penguin and Manatee section at which point a monstrous clap of Thunder sent about 20 of us jumping off the ground as a deluge of rain began to fall. Opting for the tram this time we arrived at another Orang Utan enclosure to find them fighting over cloth sacks to wear over their heads. Perhaps one of the most entertaining of animals, the cheeky Orang Utans displayed such human like behaviour as they grappled over shelter from the rain. A touch unexpectedly we then went to see Donald Trump and his

Victor Lim

Friendly Mr Lim in his office with his computer full bikini ladies.

family... sorry, the Proboscis Monkey but boy did it look like Donald Trump with its oversized ruddy nose and curious sandy hair which seemed to originate from no point on its head. After a short but disappointing visit to the Elephant show which was cancelled owing to the weather, we continued to the Great Rift Valley arena where hundreds of Baboons ran around scrapping and because they were on heat (as indicated by foul red growths on their private parts) doing naughty stuff whichever way we turned. Our final stops in the amazing zoo were the stunning White Tigers which of all the animals evoked a sense of sadness at their being here and not in the wild, the remarkably rare Tapir and the fairly decent Outback section where we got a decent look at some more Kangaroos and Emus. After a fantastic day at what has to be one of the Worlds best Zoos we travelled back to Little India and rested our weary legs.

With yet another day to kill in Singapore we headed the next morning to Boat Quay for a walk along the Singapore river. Along the promenade in the hazy heat we passed several

mmmmm

Sounds devine

"People of the river sculptures" which lined the edge of the water to depict the lives and history of this remarkable city. Rounding the river bend and dwarfed by towering skyscrapers we neared the unmissable dockside Theatre which is rumoured to have been designed with the stinky Durian fruit in mind. MRT'ing our way to the other side of the city we walked along the tree lined main shopping street at Orchard Road where a Japanese artist had impressively covered all of the tree trunks in a red and white polcadot. Keen to get a hold on our dwindling money for Singapore we spent some time in the Sony Centre drooling over the latest cameras and laptops before travelling that evening to Gaelang where the Malay Hari Rayer festival was taking place. Emerging on the packed streets to wander around the clothes and food stalls it was remarkable to see just how well Cultures seem to mix in Singapore. In Little India, Chinese and Malaysians could be seen enjoying the Deepavali festivities and now here, deep in the Malaysian district, Indian families could be seen with their kids buying gifts and taking in the atmosphere. As far as cities go,

The lights of Little India

Being Deepavali festival, the streets were spectacularly lit.

Singapore is about as multicultural as it gets but it is strikingly evident when you come here that in Singapore, it really does work. In the food market whilst Claire ordered some tasty satay kebabs, I wandered around trying to get photos of the friendly festival goers... Kids peeling potatoes, a crazy man with flowers all over him booming through a mic and one old timer who declined a photo but sat with his radio buried in his dense beard listening to Don't Stop till you get enough.

Back in Little India we packed our bags once more, sunk a couple of beers watching Chelsea Portsmouth in the Prickly Bush bar and having established that most of Thailand was at the moment deep under water, decided that we would save it for later and make a bee line for Cambodia and Laos. With a mammoth journey ahead and an unexpectedly good time in Singapore behind us, it was time to move on again. Singapore being a cultural melting pot designed by the hands of the British in times of colonial frenzy, was an easy lead in to the continent of Asia. Ahead of us lay a different World of